Flavors

by Mason Williams

not paginated. A collection of writing by the author. Includes poetry, prose - plus a color picture of him with a 1933 Pierce Arrow. White cover - title in various colors.

Genres: Poetry, Humor

58 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[Tlingit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book brings me back to childhood. My Father had a few Mason Williams records: The Mason Williams Phonograph Record and Handmade. They played on Saturdays when we were told to do our chores. No cartoons until they were done.
They were goofy Pre-Weird Al/Dr. Demento songs that played on words and were mostly folk style. For me they got me to question society when so many silly and inconsistent phrases and words existed. Simple enough for a kid of about 9 to understand but challenging enough concepts to make an introverted kid mull over.
This book reflects the time that Williams was an older twenty something. He'd worked with the Smothers Brothers writing for their show. His most well recognized piece, Classical Gas was popular in the late 60s.
I write these things so that anyone who decides to read this small book keeps in mind the time period it's written in. The Vietnam War and all the issues were a current topic as well as the emergence of Hippies and "Flower Power". Many young people were questioning The Establishment, kind of what is happening now with The Occupation movement.
Personally I really enjoyed reading this for the first time. My Father (a hoarder and collector,) buried this within his "comic book collection" (really Garfield, The Far Side and Don Bosquet,) so it only recently turned up in the house. There are some silly jokes and word puzzles that seem tame and innocent when viewed 45 years after the fact. But his written story of personal nature shows a bit of history we don't usually see anymore.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flavors by Mason Williams (Doubleday 1970) (811) is fifty-eight pages of 1970's era rampant silliness. This is a hilarious little book of poems, sketches, rhymes, and droll observations from the man who once stole the spotlight on the Smothers Brothers tv show. Williams is best known as the author of the song "Classical Gas." Do your funny bone a favor and find this one if you can. My rating 8.5/10, finished 1980. I purchased my PB in good condition on Amazon 3/2/19. PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

[Yamo]

Another iconic Mason Williams piece. defies description

[Greg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked it up on a whim. Just not my thing probably not bad if you know the guy or his music.

[James Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

weird, irreverent. Ed Ruscha photograph apparently? Funny, but very 60s. Hard to identify with the sensibility at times, though obviously "cool" at the point it was written.